Only at the NCAA would misconduct sanctions set to be delivered to a major program — in this case, the Miami Hurricanes — be halted due to the agency’s own misconduct in investigating the wrongdoing.

Meta, I know.

According to reports, the NCAA will soon commission an external investigation of it’s own enforcement programs, after it was determined recently that NCAA enforcement agents illegally obtained information in regards to the Miami case through a bankruptcy proceeding that saw booster Nevin Shapiro at the center of the pending sanctions.

Beyond that, the NCAA reportedly had an attorney on its payroll during the investigation that had former ties to Shapiro in other business dealings.

Yes, I’m serious.

In this case, obtaining such information was outside of the jurisdiction the NCAA had to work with, since the information in the bankruptcy proceeding did not directly refer to or affect them.

It’s a huge black eye for an organization already under intense scrutiny due to their harsh punishment of the Penn State Nittany Lions program in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky / Joe Paterno scandal, and their methodical if not snail-paced investigation of a Miami program which once seemed to be hanging by a thread.

Maybe not any longer.

If anything, this new wrinkle in the Miami investigation has bought not only the University’s image and well-being a new lifeline, but has protected — at least in the interim — coaches who were once involved with the program who have since moved on to greener pastures.

Regardless, Miami shouldn’t breathe too deep a sigh of relief just yet. While the NCAA will be forced in the short-term to turn the mirror inward, they are far from done with the Hurricanes.

Abandoning what is one of their most important cases in recent history would be an abject disaster and Mark Emmert and his enforcement staff just cannot allow that to happen — regardless of how dysfunctional and fractured they may be.